Star Courier alum named COO of Lee

Kevin D. Mowbray, vice president of publishing and publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has been promoted to vice president and chief operating officer of Lee Enterprises, Incorporated.

Mowbray is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mowbray of Kewanee.

Mary Junck, Lee chairman and chief executive officer, said Mowbray will return to company headquarters in Davenport, where he will oversee all of the company’s newspapers and digital operations in 22 states.

“This new position strengthens our leadership team as we continue to drive revenue, build digital audiences and transform our business,” Junck said. “Kevin brings ideal leadership skills and a tremendous record of accomplishment.

“He has led significant improvements in St. Louis while helping shape successful strategies across all 50 Lee markets. He also brings an intimate knowledge of virtually all of the communities we serve, having worked locally as a sales executive and publisher, or closely with local leaders in his previous executive roles.”

Junck also announced that Ray Farris, general manager of the Post-Dispatch and vice president of sales for Lee St. Louis, will succeed Mowbray in St. Louis as publisher. In addition to the Post-Dispatch, operations include STLtoday.com, Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis and STL Distribution LLC.

She said both appointments are effective immediately. Mowbray will operate from St. Louis during a transition period.

Mowbray, 51, has been president and publisher of the Post-Dispatch since 2006. As a Lee vice president of publishing, he has had recent additional responsibility for 13 other markets in Arizona, California, Illinois, New York, Missouri, Pennsyl-vania and Utah.

He began his career with Lee in 1986 as an advertising sales representative in his hometown of Kewanee. He advanced to sales positions in Helena, Butte and Billings, Montana, before moving to Chicago as Lee’s national sales manager for corporate sales and marketing.

In 1995, he joined the Lincoln Journal Star as advertising manager, where he served three years before becoming general manager at the Missoulian in Missoula, Montana, in 1998.

In 2000, he advanced to publisher of The Bismarck Tribune in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he guided the newspaper to the 2001 Lee President's Award for Enterprise of the Year.

In 2002, he was appointed vice president for sales and marketing, and in 2004 he became a vice president for publishing, with responsibility for markets in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, while also serving as publisher of The Times of Northwest Indiana.

In 2005, Suburban Newspapers of America honored The Times as national Newspaper of the Year.

In 2012, the Post-Dispatch received Lee’s highest honor, Enterprise of the Year, for strong financial performance and leadership in developing companywide sales and audience initiatives.

Mowbray has been active in many civic and industry organizations. His charitable and civic involvement includes serving on the board of directors of Ladue Education Foundation, Regional Business Council, St. Louis Regional Chamber, St. Louis Sports Commission, St. Louis Variety, and Old Newsboys Day Children’s Charity. Among industry activities, he serves on the Newspaper Association of America board of directors. He is a journalism graduate of Western Illinois University.